Small company: Columbus Crew/Crew Soccer Foundation

Students at Windsor STEM Academy associate the Columbus Crew with learning.

Members of the Crew organization volunteered one hour a week in 2009-10 to come to the Columbus City Schools elementary school, said Principal Christopher Scott. The ColumbusReads program pairs mentors with at-risk kindergartners to work on literacy skills.

“They were a tremendous help,” Scott said.

The Crew has volunteered at the school since 2001. The one-on-one tutoring makes a measurable difference in the children’s reading abilities, the district has reported.

Young people get excited to be around the players, said Mark McCullers, the president and general manager of the Major League Soccer team.

“Along with that comes a responsibility,” he said. “Our players buy into that.”

Players visit children at schools and hospitals, sign autographs and promote fitness and proper nutrition.

Crew volunteers also speak to kids of all ages about staying in school and the negative impacts of bullying, McCullers said.

The Crew developed a Goals for Kids Handbook to teach children about wellness, community service and scholarship.

Donating time to school children represents a small portion of the charitable works of the Crew. The organization focuses its efforts on education and health and recreation issues and is represented on six area nonprofit boards.

Then, Harper had a surprise for them. He opened the doors to the conference room and 17 children from Madison Elementary walked into the room and claimed the bikes.

Toledo had sponsored an essay contest at the school and selected the winners – some of whom had never owned a bike.

Employees were moved by the activity, Waldron said.

“I wanted to applaud you all for putting this together,” wrote one employee in an email to the company’s Corporate Caring committee. “As I talk to associates around the building, there are uplifted spirits everywhere.”

The company also mentors students from the Ohio State University Industrial and Systems Engineering Department.

Large company: Park National Bank

The leadership at Park National Bank looks forward, so it’s no surprise much of its charity focuses on young people.

“We all understand – that’s the future,” said Dan DeLawder, CEO of the bank headquartered in Newark.

It’s good for business to build a strong community, he said.

“The bank is only going to do as well as the community,” he said.

To that end, the company supports organizations including the United Way, food pantries and local hospitals.

The bank also provides financial and other types of support to local schools. The bank donates money to school levy campaigns and allows officers to serve on political action committees.

Park National also invites school officials and the leaders of nonprofit agencies to attend its off-site professional leadership training at a discounted rate.

A number of Park National employees volunteer in the schools through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Licking & Perry Counties programs, said Executive Director Jennifer Utrevis. Volunteers serve as lunch buddies for students, Utrevis said. Mentors help with homework or just talk with students, she said.

Many times the kids will show “amazing” progress when they have the opportunity for one-on-one attention, she said.

Employees also visit area schools and present programs about saving money, balancing a checkbook and managing credit.

And, Park participates in the Junior Achievement program, which educates students about entrepreneurship.

Supporting the community is part of the culture at the bank, DeLawder said.

“It’s just who we are,” he said. “It’s rewarding, and we know it’s appreciated.”